This Week In Island History

The news of 10 and 15 years ago is from the Jamestown Press. The news of 100 years ago came from the collection of the Newport Historical Society.

100 years ago

From the Newport Journal, June 20, 1913

The ditch is nearly ready for the laying of the water main on Lawn avenue.

The Jamestown club has been opened for the summer. Stewart Jones, who has had charge for a long term of years, is again on duty.

The new ferry contract for Fort Greble, which will go into effect July 1, has only to do with west bay service, there being no appropriation available to extend the service from the post to Newport.

75 years ago

From the Newport Daily News, June 21, 1938

While energetic efforts were still being made today to get governmental assistance in the construction of the proposed bridge between Jamestown and Saunderstown, which will be included in a list of PWA projects to be submitted to federal authorities along with Providence projects in the lending spending program, Jamestown sources indicated that rebirth of the plan of a canal through the island, rather than the bridge, would not meet with popular approval there.

From the Newport Daily News, June 22, 1938

The new baseball diamond at the community playground is rapidly nearing completion. The diamond is built according to specifications of the National and American Leagues baseball parks, which were made by Civil Engineer Gardner Easton. Bleacher seats will be constructed on the west side of the grounds. A football field is completed and should be in good condition for the football season. The public is invited to inspect the work already completed.

50 years ago

From the Newport Daily News, June 18, 1963

The Jamestown Planning Board last night made known its approval of a new civic center, in preference to renovation of the old Thomas H. Clarke School, for municipal purposes at a joint meeting with the Town Council. The center would be located on the school site on North Road.

From the Newport Daily News, June 22, 1963

Mrs. Andrew W. O’Connor and her nephew, James Clarke, of East Shore Road, Jamestown, have returned from attending a special preview of a movie, “A Ticklish Affair,” which was shown yesterday in Washington, D.C. The movie, based on the story “Moon Walk,” which appeared in the February 1962 issue of the Ladies Home Journal, was written by James’ aunt, Mrs. Lloyd Luther, the former Miss Barbara Masterson, daughter of James Masterson. The movie, to be released in July by MGM, revolves around James, and his family in Jamestown, as one of the leading characters.

25 years ago From the Newport Daily News,

June 17, 1988

Fifty-seven students graduated from Jamestown School Thursday. From the Newport Daily News,

June 20, 1988

Five pre-colonial Indian grave sites were found Friday afternoon behind the Jamestown School, a Narragansett war chief said this morning. From the Newport Daily News,

June 22, 1988

A $3.25 million addition to the Jamestown School has been put on hold until archeologists can determine the extent of a Narragansett Indian cemetery behind the school.

15 years ago

From the Jamestown Press,

June 18, 1998

Archeologists returned to Southwest Avenue Monday following a week’s decision by the state Department of Transportation to resume the $1.9 million road improvement project, this time without the assent or participation of the Narragansett Indian tribe.

With a waiting list for space in Jamestown’s waters of 155, up almost 25 percent in two years, the Harbor Office is cracking down on boar-owners who have not used or not paid for their moorings.

Another rainy day forced nearly 1,000 graduates, parents and wellwishers into the confines of the boys’ gym for the 93rd annual commencement at North Kingstown High School. (Forty of the 260 graduates were from Jamestown.)

10 years ago

From the Jamestown Press,

June 19, 2003

The Jamestown Fire Department last week made a donation of much needed fire-fighting equipment to the Bomberos Volunteers of Guatemala, when they made a swing through Rhode Island to help improve their scarce and outdated equipment.

The Town Council, sitting as the Board of Water and Sewer Commissioners Monday, awarded a $1,050,547 contract to John Rochno Corp. for replacement of piping and manhole covers in the ongoing one million dollar sewer rehabilitation program.